GAME OVER: FEDERER KNOCKED OUT OF WIMBLEDON
LONDON: Roger Federer suffered a stunning Wimbledon exit as the defending champion blew a twoset lead and wasted a match point in a 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-4, 13-11 quarter-final defeat against South Africa’s Kevin Anderson on Wednesday.
Federer’s bid to win a ninth Wimbledon title came to an astonishing end as the Swiss star collapsed in a nail-biting four hour and 13 minute classic that ranks as one of the tournament’s greatest upsets. It was Federer’s earliest departure from Wimbledon since his shock second round defeat against Sergiy Stakhovsky in 2013.
“Down two sets to love I tried my best to keep fighting. Beating Roger Federer here at Wimbledon will be one I remember, especially in such a close match,” Anderson said.
For the only the second time at Wimbledon, Federer was beaten after holding a two-set lead, with his previous loss from that position coming against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2011 quarter-finals. The 20-time Grand Slam champion appeared to be moving towards his fifth successive Wimbledon semi-final after taking the opening two sets.
That initial burst gave Federer 34 successive sets won at Wimbledon, equalling his own record set between 2005 and 2006.
But, playing on Court One for the first time in three years, Federer was unusually error-prone and became visibly frustrated as eighth seed Anderson deployed his huge serve to lethal effect, Anderson roared back to leave the champion’s title bid in tatters thanks to a barrage of 28 aces and 65 winners.
Three times champion Novak Djokovic, however, was a man on a mission as he defeated Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 6-2 to reach the semi-finals for the eighth time.
SERENA FAVOURITE
Serena Williams will face German 13th seed Julia Goerges on Thursday hoping to book a 10th final appearance at the All England Club. Angelique Kerber, the German 11th seed, will take on former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the other semi-final.